quick note: if you are an aquarist and are interested in helping me test out a reef-related web application (especially if you own an aquarium controller!), please leave a comment on this post and i’ll get in touch with you.

redox has always been one of those stats that is easy to measure but hard to understand.  there are plenty of sites and books that get into the nitty-gritty details about reduction-oxidation reactions.  but one of the best definitions that spoke to me recently is one that tries to abstract away the details.

redox is … a measure of the ability of a system to eliminate wastes

John Tullock – The Reef Tank Owner’s Manual

that statement made me think about my currently cycling tank.  i had recently calibrated my redox probe on my profilux controller, and it had an initial value of around 180mV.  since optimal redox values fall within a range of 350-450mV (Delbeek/Sprung), it was obvious that my redox was “low”.  then i began to think about what “low” really meant.  thinking in terms of the above definition, it means that my aquarium is less able to eliminate wastes.  this makes perfect sense when thinking about the nitrogen cycle.

since the proper bacteria for nitrification have yet to colonize my rocks and sandbed, my tank is doing a poor job of removing ammonia (the waste) from the water.  as my cycle continues and my bacteria population rises, my tank will better eliminate wastes and my redox reading will increase.  so theoretically I should be able to watch my cycle via my redox readings as they go from 180mV to around 300-350mV.

it all clicked for me when i was glancing at my redox readings today.  i noticed that each day the maximum measured ORP increased from the day before.  obviously testing for ammonia and nitrite is the true and correct way to know when your cycle is complete, but this sure is easier. :]

Tracking my cycle - Updated 12/14

Redox - 1 month later. You can clearly see when the cycle completed around Jan 2

Video - ATI Bubble Master 200 unboxing

I have just received an ATI Bubble Master 200 protein skimmer, and wanted to share my initial impressions.  For reference, my previous skimmer was an ASM.  The skimmer cost $549, which puts it above budget skimmers, but still not at the level of a Korallen Zucht, or Bubble King.  It is rated for 250 gallon aquariums, which is over-rated for my 135 gallon tank, but should allow me to keep a high bioload.

Packaging

The skimmer was ordered from AquariumSpecialty.com.  As you can see in the unboxing video, the skimmer was protected by custom-cut foam.  It was extremely thick and the unit arrived in perfect condition.

Construction

The skimmer is solid.  No part of the unit feels cheap, and the body does not flex when squeezed.  Attention to detail is obvious, with the easy to adjust knife valve and rubber feet on both the skimmer foot and pump.

Instructions

The instructions which come with the unit are clear and understandable.  I do have a complaint here.  On every online vendor where you can purchase this skimmer, it says “In-sump in up to 8″ of water”.  The instructions make this more clear, they state: “For optimal performance the water height should not exceed 8″. (Ideally 6-7″)”  I wish that the 6-7″ note accompanied the advertisement online.  My sump was made to be 8″ deep; had I known that 6-7″ is ideal I would have made it to that specification.

Assembly

Putting the skimmer together required no tools or plumbing.  One of the main reasons I chose this particular skimmer is ATIs use of a knife gate valve for adjustment.  This means no extra plumbing required, and no getting your hands wet.  The collection cup simply rests on the body, sealed by the weight of the (large) cup and a rubber gasket.  This makes removal easy.

For a glimpse at the assembly process, check out my unboxing video.

Install

Installation was definitely plug-and-play.  After assembling the unit dry, I simply dropped it into my sump and plugged in the pump.  The unit started skimming wet within minutes.  I’ve had to tune it down as the skimmer breaks in so that I can find where the sweet spot is.  The ATI-Sicce pump has a slight hum to it, which may be due to my placement, but it is not annoying or distracting.

Conclusion

I am extremely happy with my purchase, and in the few hours the skimmer has been running, I already have about 1″ of wet skimmate.  I feel it will be capable of dealing with my bioload as my tank matures.

My old stand was fun to build, but it simply was not worth the space or effort

one of the requirements i set for myself with this tank is that i wanted it to be simple, both in appearance and function.  part of this meant that i could not make the mistake i did when building the stand of my last tank. (see photo on right) the excessive size and side cabinets took away from the tank more than they added.  also, the traditional look with the wood finish and trim everywhere grew old very quickly.  my tastes lean more towards contemporary design, and for this project i needed a stand to match.

when designing my new tank, i decided to have the tank be lower (30″ height compared to 45″ height).  this meant that if i used a traditional stand with doors, my access would be very limited.  also, since the tank is as wide as it is long, reaching the back of the stand would be problematic.  very quickly i compiled my design list:

• Simple, both in design and function
• Accessible from all 3 sides
• Easy access to each side
• Allow ventilation but keep the cat out!

i decided that not having doors at all would allow me the access i needed while providing me with the aesthetics i desired.  it also occurred to me that having a steel stand afforded me some choices that standard wood stands do not have: the use of magnets to attach the skin.  by doing this i am able to keep the stand looking very sleek and at the same time provide extremely simple and easy access, including removing the entire skin (back included).

the plan was set: skin my stand with 3 independent panels which were held magnetically to the steel stand.  as a note, this entire process assumes that you have a steel frame.  my stand was built for me by A.G.E. and the construction process for that is out of the scope of this article.

Shopping list

1. Primer/Sealer (I used KILZ Premium)
2. Paint of your choice (I used “Dark Kettle Black” from Veldspar)
3. Separate brush for each
4. 3 pieces of plywood, cut to size
5. 1 piece of pegboard, cut to size
6. Magnets of your choice (I used some rare earth magnets from gaussboys.com)
7. Epoxy to attach magnets (I used Sumo glue from Loctite)
8. Vinyl bumpers
9. Zip ties

Construction

Painting in the sun turned out to be a mistake.

To start, please don’t make the mistake i did when painting.  namely, painting in direct sunlight.  as i found out through my reefcentral thread, painting in the sun caused the top of the paint to dry earlier than the undercoat and makes it take forever to cure.  More than a week later, and my paint is still sticky.

I used 2 coats of primer for each piece of wood (including the bottom provided by A.G.E.).  This is to protect the wood from the moisture and salt which will eventually get everywhere.  After that dried, i put 2 coats of the paint on the 3 pieces of the skin.

Now comes the magic part of my plan.  Since we’re using magnets, the hard part is over!  There is no nailing, screwing, or staining left to do.  All that is left to do is attach the magnets.  I chose to have the front piece be wide enough to cover the edges of the two side pieces, so in order to line it all up, i placed each piece where it should go and traced the legs of the stand using a pencil.  This gives me a guideline for where i should place the magnets.  Attaching them is as simple as a squeeze of the glue, and a firm press.  This particular glue takes about an hour to cure.

Tracing the frame makes placing the magnets easy.

I also put some vinyl bumpers on the bottom of each piece to protect my floor.  One option i may switch to in the future is to attach some plastic angle brackets to the inside of each piece.   I would place the bracket at the level where i want it to meet the bottom of the stand, and it would simply rest on the bottom holding the weight of the wood.  This way there would still be nothing permanently attaching the wood to the stand, and the sides do not have to be at ground level.

Ready to mount

For the back of the stand, here is where that pegboard we got comes into play.  Again focused on ease of maintenance, we’ll be using zip ties to attach a piece of pegboard to the back of the stand.  This serves many purposes in a simple package.  It allows ventilation, it keeps my cat out of the stand, and as an added bonus allows me to attach equipment (non-permanently) to get things off the bottom and away from splashes.  Pictured is my Profilux Digital Powerbar attached to the pegboard.  I’ve cut away the two corners to provide a way to run cables into and out of the back of the stand.  To attach, simply run the zip ties through the holes and around the legs of the stand.

An alternative for a magnetic skin is to not use wood, but plastic.  I debated on using simple colored acrylic or even starboard for each side.  And depending on how i feel, i may switch to one of those options.  I still think a semi transparent black acrylic would be pretty great to use for a very sleek look. (Plus no painting!)

Here is my finished product!

The completed stand. Functional and simple.

I hope the detailing of the construction of my stand has given you some insight and ideas on how to put together a simple stand yourself.  Check out some more pictures!

i now officially have no excuse for avoiding getting my tank up and running.

with some amazing help from my neighbor and some industrious college guys, we hauled the tank up the stairs today and plopped it on the stand.  i cleaned it up as best i could with a wet rag to get it picture ready, and had a bit of a photoshoot. (this is probably the cleanest the tank will ever be)

next on my agenda is to skin the stand.  instead of your standard stand with doors, my plan is to make the stand look like a sealed box when closed, but have the sides not permanently attached so i can remove any side at any time.  i’ve already ordered the magnets to secure the plywood to the stand, but was waiting to get the wood until i had the tank setup so i could measure exactly.  the skin will cover the base of the tank as well as the silicone.  for the back panel i’ll be using some peg board to help with ventilation and attaching stuff.

i’ve ordered my pump as well as the loc-line fittings, so hopefully soon i’ll be able to finalize my plumbing.  i’ve also ordered my profilux plus II ex controller, but mostly b/c i’ve been waiting for weeks in order to start programming against it. :]

now the fun begins.